Memory of the Past
by Chisato Morohiko
Summary: When Kuroko's half sister arrives at Seirin, everyone, including Akashi, realizes how they know only little about their shadow. As time passes by, secrets about Kuroko's past are revealed. How will a certain red head react to all he has discovered? What will Kuroko do when all his secrets are exposed? But most of all, who will be able patch up a certain shadow's broken soul?
1. Chapter 1

**Yo minna! This'll be my first anime fanfic so wish me luck! :D Ehehe… Anyway, enjoy and I hope it's worth it! :D**

**I do not own Kuroko no Basuke or any of its characters. I only own the plot and my OCs.**

**-**O**-**

"Let's see… turn right and go straight ahead…"

A long-haired brunette muttered to herself while reading the directions her mother laid out for her. Her unique silver eyes were narrowed at the streets in front of her while she glanced at the paper in her hand once in a while.

"Geez…" she scratched her head, getting irritated with each passing second. "Who knew that Japan's streets were so similar to each other?" Eyeing the houses lined up to her left, she glanced down at the paper once again. "Err… So I take another right turn here…" She looked to her right and sighed in relief. At least she could see that she was still in the right path.

The brunette's figure was tall and lanky, but one could see that she had slightly toned muscles. Her long hair was tied up in a ponytail but some of it still fell and framed her face. Judging from her appearance, she looked like someone around high school already. Her skin had a small tan to it and she wore a light blue, long sleeved jacket with a snug pair of navy jogging pants reaching up till her knees. The sleeves of her jacket were rolled up till her elbows, showing a small and silver bracelet on her left wrist.

Pausing in front of a street with a red light, she glanced down at the paper again. A smile broke out of her face. "So it's around here, huh." A wave of nostalgia hit her as she was immersed in memories of her early childhood. She stared at the sky, thankful that the street was a little secluded. A memory about a dark-haired boy resurfaced and she smiled warmly, albeit a little bitterly. More and more memories assaulted her, and she almost got lost in them, till…

"Are you okay dear?"

She jumped in surprise while clutching her chest.

A middle aged woman stood in front of her looking worried. "I was worried about how you looked so out of it. Are you feeling alright?"

The brunette smiled sheepishly this time, waving her hands in front of her. "I'm alright, don't worry. I just spaced out I guess."

The kind woman smiled softly. "If you say so." She said, turning away from the girl and walking the opposite direction of which she was supposed to go. The brunette bowed slightly and crossed the street, resuming her previous objective.

As she neared her destination, she noticed more and more students around the area.

"Well," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "I guess that just means I'm almost there."

A few minutes later, she was standing in front of a school. She stared at the gates in front of her, the wind caressing her brown locks. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"This must be it… Seirin High School."

**-**O**-**

It was lunch time and Kuroko was relishing the moment. It was just one of those days wherein you can just sit back and relax in school. There weren't any upcoming tests or assignments, so he spent his time reading a novel.

A certain red head had to ruin it though.

"Hey Kuroko, coach said there's an emergency meeting right now." Kagami, who was clamping a basketball in between his left arm and waist, called from the doorway of their classroom. Kuroko slowly stood up and made his way over to the towering four-eyed person, mentally grumbling about how he wanted to finish reading his book.

"What is she going to talk about?" he asked. Kagami just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Who knows? Maybe we have another practice match."

"Was she skipping?" Kuroko asked again, remembering the time when Riko was skipping and they had to play against Kaijo.

"She wasn't." Kagami said. _At least_, was the silent thought left unsaid. They had just won against Rakuzan just a week ago, and they were still sore. They didn't want to exert themselves as of the moment.

During that one week however, was probably one of the best times Kuroko ever had.

Ogiwara and Kuroko finally settled all misunderstandings. They had a heart-to-heart talk with each other and at least, compared to the past, they were on better terms. Akashi hadn't fully reverted to his previous self, but the multicolor-haired teenagers could see that he was getting there, slowly, but surely. Also, the second years in Seirin had celebrated their victory in Kagami's place two days after the Winter Cup.

That was the day Kuroko could truly say he was grateful for everything he had.

They second years truly outdid themselves with the preparations. Mitobe, who turn out to be a decent artist, made a banner which said "CONGRATULATIONS SEIRIN!" Kiyoshi helped his grandparents cook some food (this revelation of fact saved many lives on this day) for the party. Koganei and Tsuchida had decorated the entire place with balloons and ribbons and Hyuuga and Izuki were in charge of the drinks. Riko was the one who assigned their designated posts (with a little reluctance as to who would cook the food though).

Unfortunately, a certain red-head wasn't informed about this.

So when Kagami came home at the night of the celebration, he looked like someone whose brain was wiped clean of everything. Three seconds later, chaos ensured.

In the end, the party finished with the destruction of Kagami's apartment (things were patched up later by a livid coach, a furstrated redhead, several trembling-in-fear second years, and an amused blunette).

Silence washed over the two best friends as they headed towards the gym. For the past few days, they had been like this. They took comfort in each other's presence, not needing to say a word to each other. Lately, they had been growing closer to each other. Even Kagami seemed to be much nicer to Kuroko compared to the first time they met.

But despite the growing bond between them, Kagami couldn't help but feel that there was still an invisible wall in between them. No matter how hard he tries, it still feels as if they're strangers, like they don't know each other well enough.

Kagami suspects that to be the main reason.

When they both entered the gym, the first thing they noticed was the fact that their coach was unusually VERY happy.

Kagami and Kuroko didn't know whether it spelled good news or bad news. They almost dreaded joining the rest of the first and second years to listen to the meeting.

"Kuroko, Kagami, we've been waiting for you!" exclaimed Kiyoshi.

"Wait! I have a pun coming up-" Izuki started before being told off by Hyuuga to 'Go die in a hole!'

The rest of them chuckled. Ever since the end of the Winter Cup, everyone in the team grew closer to each other. They weren't just a close-knit team anymore, they were a family. A family never leaves anyone behind. A family always sticks together. And most of all, a family should always believe in each other.

Kuroko was truly grateful that he chose Seirin.

"Okay!" Riko started, smacking her newspaper against her palm. "Since everyone's here already..." She grinned widely.

"...Starting today, we will have a new manager!"

That bit of information caught everyone by surprise (except for a blunette).

"EEEEEEHHHHH?!"

**-**O**-**

**And so that concludes the first chapter! BTW, I need to ask you guys about something...**

**Do you think I should put yaoi or not? Because there are gonna be some parts wherein I'm not sure how deep their relationships will go... So to solve it, I'll just let all of you pick your choice below:**

**Yaoi (boyxboy)**

**Brotherly love (bromance)**

**By the way, I probably won't update anything for a while because our school has an activity we're working on so I need to focus on getting everything on time.**

**Anyways, don't forget to review! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, you guys are awesome! Not even a week and more than a hundred people have already seen this? Man, that means a lot to me :D**

**Here's the second chapter guys!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke**

**-**O**-**

Riko couldn't help but smirk at their shell-shocked expressions.

"Yup, She came to me earlier and I gladly accepted!" she said, beaming.

"'She'? So our manager is a girl?" Koganei spoke up, drooling and staring dreamily into space at the same time. Riko felt a vein pop and smacked his head with her handy paper fan. Hard.

"Oww…" Koganei clutched his head, looking very comical as a waterfall of tears dripped down his cheeks. Hyuuga face palmed and muttered 'Idiot' under his breath. Riko then scoffed and turn to the others.

"She came from our sister school in Los Angeles." Riko started to explain. "Apparently, she was also the manager of the basketball club there."

"Wait, Seirin in Los Angeles has a basketball club?" Izuki asked, looking surprised. "Last year, I remember they didn't have any."

"That's because it only formed this year." Riko explained while she sighed. "It's not much of a well-known club. Their players aren't that strong. But they're not bad either, just average. I know because Bakagami told me about it." She finished.

"Hell yeah," Kagami smirked, remembering the time he went back to America because of the transfer program. "They weren't bad, but even Mitobe-senpai can probably beat- wait, WHAT?!" he yelled at Riko, realizing what she just called him. "You called me 'Bakagami'! What did I do this time?!"

"Even though we won against Rakuzan, it still doesn't change the fact that you're still an idiot!" Riko snapped back.

"I'm not an idiot!"

"Oh yeah?" Riko grinned evilly. "Care to explain your test scores then?"

Kagami spluttered.

"Th-th-that's… u-uh…" he panicked, not able to find an explanation for it. Their coach just grinned wider, knowing she won.

"By the way Riko, where is she?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Huh?" Riko shook herself out of her thinking and stared at the brunette on crutches, not hearing a word he just said. Her eyes softened when they landed on his knees.

After their match against Rakuzan, Kiyoshi had to be on a wheelchair for a whole week. His doctor said that he would need to start his surgery right away, or else he won't be able to play basketball anymore. The muscles were damaged pretty badly, so he was banned from any strenuous activities until his knees would completely heal.

His surgery was only a week away now.

Kiyoshi, as if reading her thoughts, smiled reassuringly at her. After all, it wasn't her fault. It was solely his, because he was the very one chose this decision. He then switched back to his cheery self. "I was asking about where our new manager is. I want to meet her!"

"Oh, she told me that she would be a little late." Riko said; glad that she could think of something else other than Kiyoshi's condition. "But seriously," she sighed. "I never expected her to be this late."

"Coach," Kuroko spoke up for the first time, nearly scaring Riko to death. Thankfully, her experiences with his misdirection previously helped her get used to it. But it did nothing to keep her from being surprised every time he did it.

"How long have you been there?!" she gasped and jumped in shock.

"You still haven't told us about her name." Kuroko said in a deadpan voice as his coach caught her breath.

"Oh yeah, her name is-"

A brown long haired girl cut her off by bursting through the doors of the gym.

"I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE!" she yelled and stopped in front of all of them, panting with exhaustion from running. She closed her eyes and leaned on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Everyone stared at the newcomer in surprise. She looked to be around Kuroko's height. The second years couldn't help but think of how cute she looked.

But all Kuroko could think of is how familiar she looked. He felt a mysterious pull towards the girl. It was like he met her somewhere a long time ago.

At that moment, the girl's breathing steadied and silver orbs opened to stare at the group.

Kuroko's body went cold.

He knew those eyes almost anywhere.

To the rest of them, her eyes weren't anything out of the ordinary. They had already met six people with unusual eye colors. At least her eyes were the only things unusual (they were also thankful that they weren't faced with a silver-haired teen).

"What took you so long?" Riko asked, slightly annoyed about her tardiness. The girl hadn't noticed him yet apparently, because her gaze skimmed over his stiff figure. She scratched her head in a sheepish manner.

"Well, you see… I had to call someone, and we accidentally talked longer than expected…" she said while chuckling nervously. Riko sighed.

"Oh well…" she walked towards the girl.

"Everyone, this is our new manager, Mallorie Strauss."

The girl tilted her head and beamed at them.

"It's nice to meet you!"

This simple action caused various reactions. One was blushing madly while his eyes formed into hearts. Another was smiling obliviously. One bespectacled teen was blushing furiously. One group was respectable enough to be blushing only slightly. A certain red head only scoffed.

One blunette however, reacted completely different from the majority.

Kuroko felt his chest constricting over the name. He lowered his head and balled his hands into tight fists, knuckles turning white already. Kagami noticed Kuroko's strange behavior.

"What's wrong Kuroko?" the red head asked.

Unfortunately, he soon discovered that this was the wrong thing to do. Mallorie had seemingly good hearing, and so she easily picked up Kuroko's name. Her stare zeroed in on the two, now noticing Kuroko.

"Kuroko…" she stared at said person. She had this unreadable, almost haunting look on her face. This kept up for only seconds later as it was replaced by a wide-eyed grin.

"Do you mean Kuroko Tetsuya?!"

Everyone froze in shock.

"YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?!" Koganei yelled at Kuroko, thinking that this was all so unfair. Kuroko only kept his blank façade and calmly replied a yes. The others were still processing the new revelation over their heads.

Mallorie was overenthusiastic though. She stepped forward, closer towards Kuroko.

"It is you…" she jumped straight towards Kuroko, an obvious sign of wanting to hug him. Everyone suddenly wondered how familiar this scene was until all thought were wiped out by Mallorie's next words.

"TSUYAAAA-CHAAAAN!"

It was that moment wherein Kagami lost count of the many names Kuroko has.

But the next moment also couldn't help but make them feel suspicious.

Kuroko, obviously not one for hugs, moved out of the way, leaving Mallorie to collide with the floor. Riko panicked for a moment, not wanting someone to get hurt the moment they step in Seirin…

…Until the silver-eyed brunette made a perfectly executed somersault to land on the floor.

In midair.

The girl landed perfectly on her feet and straightened up, showing no signs of difficulties.

The silence that followed after that was deafening. Kuroko still had his back towards Mallorie, and she still stood there patiently, waiting for the other to speak. No one wanted to break the silence. Only a complete idiot wouldn't see the extremely tense aura the two had. They stayed like that for a few minutes until a blunette broke the silence.

"Why… are you here?" Kuroko said it in such a strained voice that most had to wonder what their relationship really was. His fists were still clenched, and it seemed like Mallorie had noticed it too. She looked softly at him and spoke in a gentle tone.

"We moved here."

Kuroko's reaction was much unexpected.

"WHAT?!" he turned around and yelled at the girl, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Yes you heard that right, **yelled**.

Kagami narrowed his eyes at the girl. If Kuroko reacted that way, then something serious must be going on.

**-**O**-**

**And there's the second chapter! I managed to type this out during my free time so I updated it sooner than expected. By the way, I will decide the outcome of the votes when I start with the third chapter.**

**So far, here are the results**

**Yaoi- 1**

**Brotherly love- 2**

**Don't forget to review! ****J**


	3. Chapter 3

**OH. EM. GEE.**

**OAO**

**I honestly never expected a lot of people to like this! It truly means an awful lot to me… (I'm tearing up right now…)**

**OKAY! I HAVE NOW NEWFOUND DETERMINATION TO FINISH THIS!**

**Here's an extra-long chapter for everyone who supports this story! :D**

**Special thanks to all those who followed, faved, and reviewed**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

**-**O**-**

**(Kuroko's POV)**

When those eyes opened to stare at us, my whole world came crashing down.

Those eyes bring so many memories, memories that used to haunt me every time I slept. I thought I was over it, but when my body grew cold at the sight of those eyes, I knew I wasn't.

I was merely running away from it.

When she was introduced to everyone, I couldn't help but clench my fists. I knew Kagami noticed my antics, and so I dreaded what would happen when his brow furrowed in confusion and when his mouth opened to question my reactions.

When she noticed me, I couldn't look straight into those eyes which were staring hopefully right into mine. I felt guilty. I had let her down, even when it wasn't her fault.

Then she jumped on me. I almost panicked, seeing that I was still very uncomfortable around her presence. I had to step aside while ignoring the shocked looks on my teammates' faces. I was always a gentleman towards women, and so I don't let Momoi-san collide with the floor unlike Kise-kun.

But this case was different.

I knew she'd be able to land fine on her two feet on the floor, but even though I expected that, I still couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy when she did so. She was so much better than me, and I knew I couldn't reach up to her level.

The silence that followed was a breath of fresh air. I didn't want to be bombarded by my teammates right away. At least they were decent enough not to question me right away.

But I knew I had to break it one way or another. She was waiting for me. I know she was. Those silver orbs were staring at me again, softly this time. A few minutes passed by as I hoped for someone else to break the suffocating silence that hung around the gym, but sadly, no one did. I had to be the one to do it.

With a strained voice, I finally spoke.

"Why… are you here?" I was struggling not to let tears spill. My facade was breaking. But I didn't want to break down as the memories assaulted me, not here, not now.

Not ever.

All traces of guilt washed out and were replaced by anger by her next words.

"We moved here."

I whipped my head to look at her in shock, confusion, and anger.

"WHAT?!"

Everyone but Mallorie was looking at me in surprise. But I didn't care, not when my head was swarming with endless possibilities of how this was going to turn out.

**He** was here.

**-**O**-**

**(Normal POV)**

Kagami looked at Kuroko in worry as the blunette's eyes were wide with conflicted feelings. He was deep in thought, lost in his emotions. Mallorie just stood there, staring at Kuroko with an unreadable gaze. Kagami looked at Kuroko in worry. He was shaking so badly you'd think he was having a panic attack. Kagami made his decision at that moment.

He had to intervene.

"Okay, I don't know what the fuck is going on with you two, but you can continue it next time." he said with a scowl. _'If this Mallorie girl was going to do something bad, then she better back away.'_ Kagami thought.

_'No one messes with my family.'_

Kagami glanced at Riko and she returned the look with understanding evident in her eyes. Despite all the threats she gives us, Kagami knows that she's still quite protective over her team. This was proven when Kiyoshi-sempai was taken to the hospital a week ago. Kagami walked over to Kuroko who was biting his lip.

The blunette was trying to pull himself together.

Kagami then sighed in frustration and did the unthinkable.

He ruffled Kuroko's hair.

Kuroko stiffened at first, looking confused. Then the red head looked down on him with a reassuring look. Whatever Kuroko was going through right now, Kagami wouldn't let him do it alone.

Because no one gets left behind in a family.

Kuroko then calmed down and relaxed his tense body. Kagami silently thanked the gods and let go of his hand that was still on Kuroko's head. He glared at Mallorie which made her flinch under his angry gaze.

Then a paper fan smack his head in the courtesy of Riko.

"BAKAGAMI!" she shouted at him.

"What?" he retorted back. She yanked his collar downwards as he yelped.

"Calm down." She whispered. "Don't do anything rash. I know you're a bit put off by her, but try not to do anything stupid." She finished in a pleading tone.

"Why?" Kagami hissed. "That girl has obviously done some crap to Kuroko if he's reacting that way!"

"Just trust me."

She let go of Kagami's collar and faced the group.

"Okay!" Riko said, gaining everyone's attention while also shaking some out of their stupor. "Since all of you have already met Mallorie, then you're dismissed!" Everyone sighed in relief. The tension in the air had already increased tenfold and so they were glad that they had a reason to leave.

"Oh, and Mallorie?" Riko called out to their new manager. She turned to Riko and looked questionably at her.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Can you stay for a while?" she asked. Mallorie's shoulders slumped. She had a damn good idea of what Riko was going to talk about.

Everyone went out one-by-one. Kuroko went with Kagami. They exited with faint traces of Kuroko insisting that he was fine in his usual deadpan voice. Riko sighed in relief.

The old Kuroko was back.

Honestly, Riko could say that she was scared with what happened earlier. She had never seen Kuroko react that way. Kuroko was usually a strong person in mental terms. His calm facade would never falter unless someone hurt his teammates, like in the case of Hanamiya. But she's only seen it waver, never break.

So when Kuroko was shaking uncontrollably earlier, she was scared out of her wits.

The others also felt the same, but she could see in their eyes that they didn't know what to do, just like her. Thankfully Kagami was there, and even though he almost went over the edge by glaring at her, he still managed to shake Kuroko back to reality.

After all, she has never met a pair of partners as close as those two.

They had treated each other like brothers. If one was acting out of character, the other would immediately know. If one was troubled, the other was always there to help. And if one gets hurt, the other would always jump to his rescue.

They were that close.

True, both of them might still be hiding something from each other, but Riko knew that it was only a matter of time before they would completely open up to each other.

Shaking herself out of her thinking, she faced their basketball team's new manager.

**-**O**-**

**(Riko's POV)**

When I first met the girl, she was rushing towards our classroom, yelling for my name. Then she asked me if I was the coach of the basketball club. The moment I nodded, she immediately introduced herself and begged me to become their manager. She said that she was a transferee from our sister school and that she just moved here. I said yes after a few minutes of consideration. Our team really needed a manager; I couldn't handle all the workload. After that, she smiled brightly, thanking me all over and over again. Before she left though, I warned her that if she wasn't doing her duties properly, I would have no choice but to remove her from her position. Her only response was a simple reassuring nod and two words.

"Don't worry."

Somehow, I found that very hard to do after what just transpired.

I narrowed my eyes at her. She shuffled uncontrollably under my gaze. Kagami's look might be scary, but mine could put his to shame.

"I would like to have an explanation of what had happened." I said. Mallorie looked at me with that unreadable gaze again, and I almost growled. She's been doing that a lot of times now. This was honestly starting to irritate me, and I wanted an explanation already.

Then her gaze melted into a bittersweet smile.

It surprised me for a while, because it was the first time I saw her like that. Her eyes usually spoke of innocence. They were always sparkling with joy. To see her like this is a little disturbing.

"I know you want to know what was behind all that just happened…" she said, lowering her head to look at the floor. "…But I'm afraid I can't tell you everything. I'm sure Tsuya-chan wouldn't appreciate it."

My eyes narrowed even more. "What do you mean?" she sighed, exasperated all the while. She was quiet for a while, silently debating whether or not she should tell me. Finally, she stared directly into my eyes and I braced myself for what was coming.

"We're half-siblings."

It was only a simple explanation, but it seemed to talk about many things. No one could be half-siblings without something serious going on. Something must be happening in Kuroko's family, seeing as he has a half-sister.

My eyes widened in surprise as I thought about the possible reasons of how they became half-siblings.

Mallorie looked to the side where a few basketballs lay in a basket. "Also… Let's just say that we aren't on good terms right now…" a sad look adorned her face. I only stayed silent, knowing better than to jump into something and get involved before knowing what truly happened. I sighed, feeling exhausted with the day's events.

"Okay, you may go." I said to Mallorie. She relaxed, feeling glad that she wouldn't be explaining anything any further. She bowed slightly to me and voiced out a thank you. She bade farewell and disappeared though the front doors of the gym, leaving me to contemplate about everything that had happened.

Then I left when the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break.

**-**O**-**

**(Normal POV)**

When school was finally over, Kuroko walked back to his house after turning down Kagami's offer to walk him home. The blunette wanted a moment to think things over. He wanted to be alone for a while.

He finally arrived at his house, a small residence in a simple subdivision. Kuroko pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, slowly turning the handle when he did so.

Silence greeted him when he opened the door. The place was dark and gloomy; lonely vibes leaking out from every corner. Kuroko had only the barest of furniture, needing only the necessities needed to survive. Kuroko closed the door behind him and stared sadly at the scene in front of him.

"I'm home." He muttered. Nothing changed. No voice greeted him as usual. No one was at the kitchen counter cooking dinner. No one was smiling brightly at him and asking how was his day. No one was home anymore.

Not that he expected anyone to be.

He walked towards the dining table, where he set down his bag and rested his head on the table, using his arms as a pillow. He stared at something in the middle of the table and smiled sadly.

A single picture frame rested in the middle of the table. The frame was a light shade of blue with elegant swirls decorating the frame, adorning the face that was featured in it.

A young woman in a white summer dress was smiling in the picture. Her hair was a soft shade of caramel which was usually mistaken for a light brown color. They cascaded down till her shoulders as a clip held some of it away from her face. Eyes as blue as the sky stared into the camera, wrinkling slightly as she smiled.

It was probably the only thing in the house worth looking at.

Kuroko's face softened.

"I'm home, okaa-san."

**-**O**-**

**Phew! That took a while for me to finish. I know that I said I won't be updating for a while, but that was before I was given this precious free time.**

**But this time, for real, I will REALLY be busy, probably till next week.**

**Okay, setting that aside, you guys are already wanting to know whether this fic will be either bromance or yaoi, right? I'm sure you're itching to know. But after reading Kagami's POV up there^, you've already figured it out right?**

**If not, then drumroll please!**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**BROMANCE WINS!**

**Yup, sorry Yaoi fans, but there won't be any boy x boy. But since some of you really liked the idea of having KagaKuro (or just plain yaoi), then I'll just have them be like close brothers and there might be some fluffy moments.  
**

**The results look like this:**

**Yaoi- 5**

**Bromance- 7**

**Oh yeah, the GoM will be appearing in the later chapters.**

**Until the next chapter! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'M BACK MY DEARS~~~! Nah, just joking XD. Thank you for all who have been supporting this story! I feel so touched... TvT Anyways, sorry for my long absence. I was stuck with our upcoming finals so I didn't have time to work on this story (or any of my stories, as a matter of fact) TAT. But since it's already summer, YOU CAN ALREADY EXPECT FASTER UPDATES!he he he... :D**

**Also, please don't hesitate to correct any of my mistakes. ^_^**

**Enjoy~**

**-**O*-**

"Augh, I'm beat!"

Mallorie plopped down her bed and sighed, stretching her tense muscles. She sighed and covered her eyes with her arm, blocking out the light from her bedroom.

She remembered today's events and recalled everything in perfect detail. She envisioned the people from Seirin's reactions, unsurprised by the fact that most of them were looking upset at the way the blunette reacted to her. But even while she was expecting this, a frown slowly showed on her face, obviously displaying her sadness at the way they acted. She laughed a little bitterly.

"I guess I didn't really make much of a good impression, did I?"

After a few minutes of thinking, she sat up and surveyed the room she was given.

A few weeks ago, when she was still studying in Seirin's sister school in Los Angeles, she had received an email from her dad, saying that they were to transfer to Japan in a few days. This absolutely caught Mallorie by surprise. Ever since her family had migrated to the States, they had been trying to avoid going to Japan whenever they would have a vacation or tour outside the country. Japan brought too many bad memories.

So imagine the look on her face when she realized that they would be going to the very place they had been avoiding.

Now here she was, sitting in her room that her parents had given her for their stay, studying it for the only-God-knows-how-many-times already. Her room was a simple, neat and wide four-walled bedroom. The walls, along with the ceiling, were painted a soft shade of violet and the floor was carpeted in white. Her bed was situated in one corner of the room, diagonally across the door. So far, her things were laid out neatly around her bedroom, but she knew that it wouldn't be long before her things would be strewn everywhere.

Mallorie sighed deeply again. It was hard keeping up her facade back at the school with Kuroko there. Her chest ached whenever she looked at him. It became even worse when he started panicking when he realized who she was. She knew they didn't get along fine unlike before, but she had no choice.

After all, it was time to face the problem instead of running away from it already.

"Mallorie, dinner's ready!" Her mother called out in English from downstairs, which subsequently brought her out from her train of thought. Slipping on her indoor slippers, Mallorie rushed down the long flight of stairs. When she reached the kitchen, her mother was already sitting in one of the chairs with all the food prepared.

With blonde hair, pale skin and tall figure, her mother, Alexa Strauss, was usually unmistakably American in appearance. The only thing that made her stand out were her rare dark purple eyes that looked black in certain angles of the light. Her hair, which reached to her midsection, was held back in a low ponytail. A smile was sent Mallorie's way, courtesy of Alexa.

"C'mon, don't let the food be the one to come near you!" Alexa said, eliciting a grin from Mallorie.

"Oh c'mon," Mallorie said in a mock interpretation of her mom in an attempt to win the smart-comebacks contest. "Can't I drool over the food first?"

"Of course not." Alexa said in a straightforward manner. Mallorie pouted, disappointed that her mother wouldn't let her win.

Not like she'll ever allow her anyways.

Mallorie then sat down on one of the chairs across her mom. For the next few minutes, all was okay. The two blondes talked casually about daily things like how the food tasted like, etc. But not until the elder one brought up the dreaded subject about school.

"So, how was Seirin?"

Mallorie's face visibly fell. Alexa noticed this and gave a reassuring but worried smile to the brunette. She knew of their situation, and had tried many times to try to fix it in the past. The most she got so far was when she had managed to convince her husband to move back to Japan, but that was it. No one had yet to make a major move. She knew that Mallorie was trying, but she could see that it was taking a toll on her.

After all, it was the first time in six years that they met each other.

"Don't worry, it'll get better someday. I'm sure of it."

But even Mallorie could see the uncertainty in her mother's eyes.

The silence was suddenly pierced by the unexpected ring of the telephone.  
"I'll get it!" Mallorie called out to Alexa. Her mother only nodded her head and smiled; an affirming gesture to both of them. When Mallorie picked up, an all too familiar voice spoke through the other end.

"So, how're my little devils coming up?"

"Dad!" Mallorie brightened considerably as she recognized her father's voice. "I've missed you!"

"I was only gone for three days, you know?"

"But that's still a long time~" she pouted. Her father, Jack Strauss, was the owner of a major company factoring gadgets in the United States. Therefore, he wasn't home much. But despite the long distances between them, they still found time for each other. Jack often had a hard time finding a way to get home due to his schedule, but he was also glad that he was close to his family despite their wealth. His wife often helped him in managing the company and there were also instances wherein Mallorie would help with the paperwork, seeing that she was going to inherit the company soon if they wouldn't have a son. But most of the time, Jack preferred to do it on his own.

Because in his opinion, it was the best he could do to atone for the sins he had done in the past.

Jack chuckled as he heard his daughter pout. "Alright, alright… So is the house fine?"

"Yup, it's wonderful!" Mallorie exclaimed.

"Just make sure you don't mess up your room, okay?"

"I… wouldn't… guarantee you that…" The blonde fidgeted as she remembered how messy she worked sometimes. A sigh could be heard in the other end, an indication that her father was also recalling the same thing.

"You do have a point there…"

"Anyways, I'll see you in a few days again, right?" Mallorie asked hopefully. She had terribly missed her dad and she would be elated to see him again. Another chuckle could be heard again as her father laughed at his daughter's antics.

"Yes you will."

"Aw yea! See you then dad!" the teen chirped. When a few seconds had passed without any reply from him, she cocked an eyebrow.

"Dad?" she then heard her dad stutter out a 'Y-y-yes?', which was a rare sound coming especially from her confident father. It was then with disappointment that she realized her father had zoned out due to his deep thinking.

And Mallorie knew exactly the reason why.

"Dad, he's still waiting, you know?" she said in a much calmer and softer voice.

"Wh-what?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You do realize that you have to face him soon, right?" Jack sighed again, this time out of exhaustion.

"I know, I know… I'll find time. Don't worry."

"That's what you've been saying for the past years, remember? Mom had to be the one to convince you to move here."

Silence washed over the two for a few seconds until one of them broke it.

"I'm just not ready to face him."

A sad yet understanding smile made its way to Mallorie's face.

"I know. Me too." She gripped the phone harder. "But we can't keep on running away from the problem. That's why we're here."

Jack then felt his chest swell with pride at his daughter's words. The sides of his mouth tugged upwards. "That's my daughter right there."

Mallorie couldn't help but giggle. "Oh c'mon, I got this from mom's side of the family!"

A small tick mark formed on her father's forehead. "Now what in Pete's sake has your mother been teaching you this time?"

"BLEH." was all she said as she stuck her tongue out. "You better come home soon then unless you want mom and I to scheme something evil again this time!"

Jack sweat dropped but smiled nonetheless.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few days."

"Yaaay! Bye dad!"

"Bye." A click sounded, signaling the end of their conversation. Mallorie continued to grip the phone minutes after her dad ended the call. She gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Hurry home already, dammit."

-**O**-

Jack sighed and leaned back in his chair. He brushed his raven hair back as he stared at a picture frame of his family sitting on the side of his work desk. It was taken 8 years ago, back when everything was still okay. It showcased the three of them smiling at the camera. Mallorie, in her nine year old body, was harbouring a broad grin as Jack and Alexa sat at either side of her. He had less wrinkles on his face and the bags under his eyes were lighter too. Alexa's smile was brighter and less burdened. All in all, the picture displayed a family living peacefully.

Jack wished he could go back to those days again.

But then if he did, he wouldn't be able to have the chance to correct his mistakes anymore. The black-haired man proceeded to open the bottom drawer, where he would usually keep his valuables. His hand searched for a certain picture taken a long time ago, longer than the one sitting atop his desk. Paper after paper, he searched for the photo until he came across it right beneath all the documents he stored inside. Pulling it out, he was overcome by a wave of nostalgia.

A teenaged version of himself was smiling at the camera, face free of wrinkles or any form of burden for that matter. Beside him, a pretty girl of around the same age with caramel hair- which was usually mistaken for a light brown color- smiled softly. Her hair, which cascaded down her shoulders, was held back with a clip. Azure eyes as clear as the sky sparkled slightly under the glare of the light. Underneath the photo was a short message written in English. In a small print, it said:

Happy Anniversary, Jack! -With lots of love, Inoue

Jack's jaw tightened as he stared at the picture, his silver orbs narrowing in guilt.

"I'm sorry..."

**-**O**-**

**AND THAT'S THE END OF THE FOURTH CHAPTER~~!**

**Now you might be thinking ****_"What's up with this girl and caps right now?"_****. Am I right? Well guess what...**

**_MY BIOLOGICAL PARENTS ARE FINALLY GETTING MARRIED~~~! SQUEEEE!_**

**Yup. So now you know why I'm so happy. X3**

**Anyways, can anyone alreadyguess who is the****_"Him" _****that Kuroko speaks of? He he he... :)**

**_Don't forget to vote and comment~ _****:)**


	5. Chapter 5

**For all those who reviewed/followed/faved: **

**THANK YOU SO MUCH! XD**

**Disclaimer: If I owned KnB I would have scarred a lot of minds by now.**

**-**O**-**

"Kagami-kun."

"Holy cra- Goddamn it Kuroko! Stop scaring the shit out of me!"

"Language, Kagami-kun."

"Why you-!"

It was already the next morning and Kagami had been heading to school. He was still groggy from thinking too much last night, hence the dark circles under his eyes. But it wasn't long until a certain blunette suddenly appeared out of nowhere beside him.

"Seriously, stop doing that." Kagami said while clutching his chest, an attempt to slow down his rapidly beating heart. Kuroko only cocked his head to the side in response.

"I'm not doing anything." The smaller teen looked emotionless when he had said that, but if one truly knew him like Kagami, they would see the mischievous glint in those seemingly empty eyes of his.

Kagami felt ticked by that glint. But even though he was feeling annoyed at the shorter male, he was quite relieved. Kuroko was already back to his usual self. That feat yesterday had him worried for the blunette. Kuroko always knew how to keep his emotions at bay, hence his calm nature. There was always a fire in his eyes though, fierce yet highly tamed.

But Kagami hadn't seen a trace of that in the blunette's eyes yesterday.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"You were spacing out Kagami-kun. We'll be late at this rate."

"That doesn't mean you had to kick me in the shin!"

Kagami continued to pout and grumble about the sore pain in his lower leg. Both teens continued to walk, neither speaking with the taller one lost in his own thoughts, again.

He had wanted to walk him home yesterday to assure himself that Kuroko was alright, but the smaller teen has too much pride in him to let that happen. Kagami just sighed. Despite his quiet personality, he knew that Kuroko was very stubborn. He never almost never gave up during a game. Even when all hope seemed lost, he would always find a way to make the tables turn. He was even the one who would pull the hot-tempered redhead back together when everything went out of hand. That is, if the coach was absent.

But sometimes, Kagami feared that would be the cause of his downfall.

Sometimes, Kuroko is just too kind for his own good. He's usually too selfless to give more thought to himself than other people. Even when he himself was already hurting, the blue-haired teen would rather take all the blame than let anyone hurt another person. That was proven when he blamed himself for his childhood friend's hate for basketball after the Teiko-Meiko championship game.

Kagami was truly afraid of that, that someday Kuroko would break down completely.

He knew there were some people who would love to take advantage of that. He feared that the smaller teen might be manipulated by some not-so-nice people. He didn't want the other to be in even more pain than he already was. That's why he would protect him at all costs. Even only in his first year at Seirin, he had already owed so much to the blunette. He would protect Kuroko with every fiber of his soul, just like a light would to his shadow.

Or like how a brother would protect his younger sibling.

A sharp jab to his side made him jerk violently from said person.

"What the FUCK Kuroko?!" But then again, it doesn't change the fact that brothers still bicker with each other.

"You were spacing out again, Kagami-kun. And please don't swear, it's not polite." Kuroko looked up to his face with an amused glance. Kagami then looked away and stomped off while mumbling angrily. Kuroko blinked and was about to follow suite, but he stopped. Kagami then noticed the lack of footsteps following him and stopped in his tracks to turned around. He gave the blunette a questioning look, but the other only stared back with an unreadable expression. They stayed like that for a few seconds until Kuroko pointed to a street beside him, of which Kagami had already bypassed.

"You're heading into the wrong direction."

Kagami's face suddenly became the same color as his hair.

"Sh-SHUT UP!"

—**O**—

"Kagami, Kuroko, over here!"

Both teens mentioned swiveled their heads to face whoever called them.

Izuki and Koganei were standing at the doorway of their classroom, with the latter waving his hand to catch the duo's attention.

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Senpai, why are you here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in your classroom by now?" Kuroko added. "The first subject is about to start."

Koganei scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "About that... I wanted to check something first."

A pair of blue eyes blinked. "Something?"

"Well, some people say that there's been a transferee in the first year. I've asked the other classrooms but they didn't have any." The brunette answered.

"Oh. Speaking of which, the teacher did mention something about that. Right, Kagami-kun?"

"Eh... I wasn't really listening." The redhead stared ahead, not really interested in the topic being discussed. Kuroko sighed.

"This is why you should focus more on your surroundings."

"What are you, my mom?"

Izuki then spoke up. "Anyways, that's all we came here for. We should be going now. Ah!" His eyes suddenly brightened. "Let's go get some cocoa!"**[1]**

The rest sweat dropped except for a pretty oblivious person.

"Izuki, go walk into a hole and die!"

"E-eh?! Hyuuga, why are you here?!"

"To get you two idiots of course. Now move your asses before we miss first period!"

After their upperclassmen left, a thought suddenly crossed Kagami's mind. "Oi, Kuroko, you don't think it's that girl...?

"Huh?"

Before the redhead could speak up, the teacher entered, bringing all students to their seats.

"Alright! As I've mentioned before, we have a transfer student who will be introduced today. But before that," the teacher's face suddenly turned dark and serious. "You better damn well take care of her."

The rest of the class stiffened, shock clearly seen on most of their faces. Their teacher usually had a personality like Kiyoshi, so seeing his stern face obviously surprised all of them.

Just then, the front door opened and the transfer student stepped in front of everyone.

Kagami's jaw hit the ground and Kuroko's eyes widened a fraction.

"Class, this is Mallorie Strauss."

Said person tilted her head, just like the day before. "Nice to meet 'cha!"

**—**O**—**

**[1]- Since it sounds something like _'kokka ga ikou ka'_(Let's go get some cocoa) then I figured it would pass off as a pun... Pls. correct me if I'm wrong TvT**

**I'm also really sorry for this late update! _ Especially since this is such a short chapter...**

**I'm only typing on my phone cause my mom won't let me use the computer and my laptop is still arriving in the middle of May. TwT**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chap and DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW~! :D**

**BTW, who among you were dissatisfied with the MayPac fight? I was. =_=**


	6. Chapter 6

**I seem to forget these a lot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did then the series would have been overloaded with yaoi/shounen ai XD**

**-**O**-**

"She's our new classmate?!" Kagami screamed in his mind. He glared at the girl from across the classroom, vaguely listening to the teacher's words. One particular sentence caught his attention though.

"Now then, as for Strauss-san's seat..." The teacher skimmed his eyes over each desk, trying to decide which desk to move. "Let's see... Ah, Nishimura-san, please move your desk backwards."

To Kagami's horror, the person beside him spoke up. "Yes!"

The redhead now had a solid reason to hate the teacher.

Mallorie walked towards the now empty seat beside Kagami. At that point though, the whole class could feel the extremely tense atmosphere surrounding the two. Kagami was still glaring at the brunette, the feeling of overprotectiveness slowly creeping through his veins. But when their eyes met, the redhead swore he saw an apologetic look in the teen's silver eyes.

After everything settled down and Mallorie was already seated, Kagami couldn't help but wish he had something to hit the teacher with. The air was awkward and tense, both seatmates turning away from each other, one glaring at the window as if willing it to melt and another fidgeting in her seat, eyes darting anywhere except the two males seated to her left.

Speaking of the two, Kagami noticed that the person behind him was awfully quiet. Don't get him wrong, Kuroko was usually quiet, but he would occasionally throw some comments here and there. Sometimes he would even make a small noise, like a sigh or a short hum.

But ever since that girl went through that door, his shadow had been as silent as a caterpillar.

Kagami glanced at Kuroko. Fortunately, the blunette wasn't freaking out anymore. In fact, his face looked perfectly unaffected, except for the fact that he was quieter than usual. Kuroko was looking straight ahead, apparently listening to the now resumed class. But Kagami could see that he was stealing a few glances at the fidgeting brunette. The teen then raised a split eyebrow.

"Kagami-san, I believe the blackboard is in front of you, not back there." The teacher called out, noticing Kagami's lack of attention towards his lesson. The redhead immediately twisted his neck to face the smiling teacher, ignoring the snickers that broke out.

"Y-yes sir!"

-**O**-

Classes passed by without a problem for the next few subjects and it was now the start of lunch break. Kagami and Kuroko were in the process of leaving when Mallorie suddenly stood before them. Kagami instinctively stepped in front of Kuroko, already prepared to protect his shadow if necessary. The brunette was still fidgeting slightly under the redhead's intense gaze before she spoke up.

"Um… Tsuya-chan, can we talk for a moment? Alone?" Silver eyes looked past the taller male and straight into the blunette's azure ones. The three of them vaguely realized that they were the only ones left in the classroom, the rest having fled for fear of mingling in dangerous business. Kagami narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want with Kuroko?" he growled. He definitely didn't feel like trusting her after what had happened. Especially after he saw how Kuroko had reacted when he met her. Mallorie quickly looked up to Kagami's red eyes, feeling a little foolish for ignoring the redhead the first time around. She stammered, feeling a little intimidated under his gaze.

"H-he doesn't have to agree right away! I could j-just talk to him if he's ready-"

"Okay." said Kuroko, speaking up for the first time in a few hours.

"Eh?!" Kagami and Mallorie both looked at him in surprise. They hadn't expected him to agree right away to her request, it was kind of sudden to do so. Just yesterday he almost had a panic attack only by seeing the brunette and now he was agreeing to be alone with the exact same person?

Kuroko read the worry in Kagami's eyes. "It's alright, Kagami-kun. After all, it was my fault that I freaked out yesterday, not Strauss-san's. I'm perfectly fine now." As if demonstrating exactly how, the blunette smiled a little. This time, Kagami could clearly see that he was more relaxed now. A little nervous maybe, but that was normal. The redhead then sighed, having no choice but to comply with his shadow's wishes.

"Fine… BUT! If there's something wrong, let me know right away, okay?" Kagami said, his protective instincts kicking in again. Mallorie raised an eyebrow. She never knew that the red-haired teen could be this brotherly. No one would expect that from his tough exterior. A smile graced the brunette's face.

Looks like Tsuya-chan has found someone to look after him.

Said person then brought her out of her line of thinking. "So Strauss-san, where do you want to talk?"

"Geez, Tsuya-chan, stop calling me 'Strauss-san'! It sounds way too formal!" she pouted, wishing she had a Japanese last name so that her name wouldn't stand out too much. The blunette only looked at her with a deadpan expression.

"But that would be impolite, Strauss-san."

"Er… Fine! We'll talk in the Music room then, I've heard that no one uses that room at this time." Mallorie strode forwards and Kuroko hurriedly followed, leaving Kagami behind. She faintly heard Kagami calling out to them, but focused more on her destination. The blunette tried to keep up with her pace, his low stamina hindering him from matching her long and steady footsteps.

"U-um, Strauss-san…!" he tried to call out to the girl in front of him. Mallorie did indeed hear him, and when she turned back, she immediately regretted her actions.

"Ah! I'm so sorry Tsuya-chan! Are you alright?" she asked Kuroko, who was panting. He was breathing heavily, trying to regain lost air back into his lungs. "I-I completely forgot about your condition…"

"It's alright, you don't have to worry about me." The male teen was already standing up straight, having regained his breathing already. He smiled faintly, as if to reassure the other. Mallorie only sighed and resumed walking although at a much slower pace, Kuroko followed suit.

A few minutes passed by, and they were soon standing in front of a door that had a label on top.

'Music Room'

"Well, this must be it." Mallorie said out loud as she slid opened the door and stepped inside. When both of them were inside the room, Mallorie closed it, leaving them in silence for a while. No one spoke at first. They stared at each other, content with only looking into one another's eyes. Then Mallorie broke the silence, not that Kuroko ever does anyway.

"Hey Tsuya-chan, I'm sorry for yesterday. I know it was too sudden for me to appear just like that and jump at you out of the blue, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry I couldn't message you instead, I kinda forgot what your number was and I was just so-"

"Strauss-san, you're rambling."

"Ah! I-is that so…? Th-then-"

Kuroko held up a hand to silence her. Honestly, this brunette was even more nervous than him.

"One apology is enough." Kuroko started. "Besides, I know it wasn't your fault." He was looking away when he said this, and Mallorie could tell that he wasn't talking about recent events. He was talking about a time; long, long ago when they were both in their own innocent, little world. Bitter smiles were once again etched on their faces, minds lost in nostalgia. Mallorie only nodded, already content with the blunette's answer. Her eyes then landed on a black piano in front of the classroom, recognition sparking in her silver orbs.

"Oh yeah," Mallorie made her way over to the sleek instrument. Kuroko watched her curiously for a while, and then got the hint when she laid her hand on one of the keys of the piano. "Tsuya-chan, do you still remember how to play the piano?"

The blunette walked over to her and sat down on the bench. He laid both of his hands on the keys, a serene smile crossing his face for once.

"Yes."

**-**O**-**

**OHHH... What's this? Our Kuroko-chan knows how to play the piano? ;D**

**Btw, there's been another KnB fanfic I've been thinking about, and I can't seem to decide between these two AUs:**

**Dragon Riding AU**

**or**

**Hybrid AU**

**Please let me know in the comments which one you'd prefer! I'm still going to write both AUs, but I wanna know which one would I work on first (seeing as I often get stuck whether I should be working on one or the other... =v='').**

**P.S. ALLELUJAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! MY LAPTOP FINALLY ARRIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVED! XO**

**Anyways, don't forget to leave a review! They are very much appreciated~ 3**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: If I had owned Kuroko no Basuke, I would've made Takao kiss Shin-chan! X3**

**-**O**-**

Hyuuga and Riko made their way through classrooms, both of them searching for a certain redhead and blunette amongst the students.

"Geez, I can't believe Kuroko-kun and Kagami-kun forgot about the meeting earlier." Riko grumbled under her breath. "Strauss-san wasn't there either…"

Everyone was making way for them. Which was unsurprising, considering the dark glower surrounding Hyuuga and his intimidating face. "Damn first years… I'll make sure to knock some respect and discipline into them next time…"

"Speak for yourself, Hyuuga."

"What?!"

"I do recall you bleaching your hair during the start of your first year, right?" Riko smirked, feeling smug with the dark blush that overcame her companion's face. She snickered, also remembering said memory. "And you looked so ridiculous with it too!"

"O-Oi!" Hyuuga half-shouted and half-whispered, embarrassment written all over his face. All of a sudden, as they rounded upon a corner, they were met with surprised red eyes that looked down on them.

"Senpai?"

"Ah, Kagami-kun!" Riko said, also slightly surprised by the encounter. They thought the light and shadow duo were still inside their classroom, which was supposedly their destination. But they certainly did not expect the redhead to be strolling around, especially without his shadow.

"So there you are you damned first year…" Hyuuga growled as Kagami gulped. "You and Kuroko were supposed to attend a meeting around minutes ago! Don't tell me you forgot- wait, never mind. You DID forget…"

Kagami sweatdropped. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh c'mon, we know you almost NEVER remember reminders unless it's about an upcoming match." Riko sighed, mentally facepalming at 'Bakagami's stupidness. "Kuroko is usually the one who- wait, where's Kuroko?"

"That Strauss girl wanted him to come with her somewhere; seemed important." Kagami scratched the back of his neck while trying to remember as many details as possilble.

"Strauss?" Hyuuga clarified. When his kouhai nodded, he continued. "Do you know where they went?"

"Uh… I think they went to the Music Room…?" Kagami said, eyebrows furrowing as he recalled what Mallorie had said.

"I see. We'll be off then!" Riko called out to the red-haired teen, already going towards the direction of said room. Then she suddenly stopped in her tracks, as if recalling something important. "Oh yeah! Kagami-kun, in two weeks' time, we'll be having a practice match against Kaijo."

Kagami's eyes widened in surprise and enthusiasm. "Really?! ALRIGHT! Be prepared Kise!" He yelled out to no one in particular.

Hyuuga smiled and sighed. "Seriously, he's always like this…" he mumbled to himself.

"Huh? Senpai, did you say something?"

"Nothing. Then, we'll be finding Kuroko and Strauss now." Hyuuga waved, running to catch up with Riko, who was starting to walk away already.

"See you later in practice!" The brunette coach also called out, turning back to face the redhead.

"Kay!"

As the two walked away, they both wondered what made Kuroko agree with coming along their new manager. As far as they know, no one in the team knew much about the brunette to trust her enough; except perhaps Kuroko. But the blunette's reaction yesterday worried them. What is it that made the shadow's strong and calm façade slip away so much?

Silence ensured the duo along the way. Whatever opinions they had about anything, they kept it to themselves at the moment. As they became closer to their goal, both of them vaguely noticed that they were soon the only ones around. They didn't mind it one bit. The blanket of silence was comforting, both teens content with being inside their own thoughts.

All of a sudden, a distant noise lifted the still air that was surrounding the two. The duo stopped, also noticing the same thing. The sound wasn't uncomfortable nor did it make them uneasy. In fact, it was soothing them down to the depths of their soul.

Hyuuga and Riko halted and both looked at each other in confusion. The music sounded like a piano, notes fluid and soft. The melody that was playing conveyed emotions that even they too, could feel.

It felt nostalgic, full of bright and flashbacks that brought a smile to anyone's face. It also felt a little mischevious, bringing into mind the works of innocent children who liked to pull pranks and play with everyone.

But most of all, it felt lonely, with a hint of longing for the memories of the past.

Tears sprang into Hyuuga's and Riko's eyes as they further listened to the nostalgic and heart-wrenching melody. It bore deep down their soul and tugging at their heartstrings. But despite the load of emotional feelings surfacing, they continued on, determined to find out the one person who could make such wonderful music.

The melody became louder as they got closer to the Music room. Tears were freely cascading down their cheeks by now, both teens making no move in order to wipe them away. The music was almost too much to bear; neither could even make a noise, much less a comment. It just simply left you speechless. Once they arrived in front of Music Room, they stared at the twin doors that served as the barrier between them and the identity of the person playing. But even without looking, they had a good idea who was playing.

After all, Kagami did say that Kuroko and Mallorie were in this very room, right?

Despite this knowledge though, no one opened the door. Mallorie was still in there. And besides, who knows that they might still talk about things after whomever one of them stops playing?

Hyuuga managed to finally wipe the tears off, as well as Riko. The music wasn't finished yet though, so they were met with another wave of nostalgia. Fortunately, they were prepared this time, so no tears came anymore. But there was still that heart-wrenching feeling inside their chests. It felt like your heart was getting squeezed as you feel a great longing for the things you've lost, and for those you could never get back.

The melody soon then slowed to a stop, leaving behind a faint wisp of unquenched longing in the air.

Neither captain nor coach moved an inch. Straining their ears, they could hear a faint sobbing noise inside the room.

"Strauss-san, please don't cry."

Riko placed her hand immediately on her mouth, muffling a gasp when she recognized Kuroko's monotone voice. More sobbing noises could be heard as well as hiccups, and Hyuuga could safely assume that this was Mallorie.

"B-because… It *hic* I-it's your fault y-you m-ma*hic* made it so *hic* damn p-p-painful to *hic* li-listen to…!"

Now Hyuuga was confused. Sad and nostalgic was one, but painful? Exactly what could've happened in order to make her feel that way? Riko on the other hand, had her suspicions, for she knew the relation of the two.

They both had the same father, yet different mothers. Anything could've happened between them.

"I'm sorry. That was the only song I could think of at that moment."

"A-at least try t-to LOOK *hic* sorry d-damn it! *hic*"

Silence could only be heard afterwards; unless of course, you count Mallorie's hiccups and sobs. Seconds passed by, and soon her crying was already starting to pipe down and turn into helpless sniffing instead.

"Do you have a tissue?"

"No."

"Argh! Damn, how am I supposed to reveal myself now? This is going to reflect badly on Dad you kn-"

A loud and sudden BANG was heard, and Hyuuga and Riko couldn't help but flinch back in surprise. It was obviously the blunette who had done that, but it was too surreal that they almost couldn't believe it.

"DON'T YOU DARE MENTION THAT MAN!"

Riko considerably backed away from the door. She had never heard Kuroko this mad before. There might be that time with Hanamiya, but he was nowhere as enraged as this. Venom laced the blunette's voice, and she shuddered. Riko certainly did not want to face the younger boy's wrath. Heck, if his voice made her feel fear, then how would it feel if she was staring right at his face? She definitely did NOT want to imagine it. A glance towards her companion and some eye contact was enough to deliver the message.

They needed to get out of here.

It was not their place to eavesdrop on personal matters. If there was something that Kuroko wanted to tell the team, he would tell them himself. They were already treading on dangerous waters and they knew that fact very well.

With a few quick strides, they were out of there in no time.

**-**O**-**

Mallorie looked up, shocked. Kuroko had suddenly stood up, banging his fists on the piano's keys. His head was bowed, hiding his eyes with his bangs. He was gritting his teeth and shaking all over: a way of trying to prevent as much hatred from coming out.

But then again, everyone has their own limits.

"DON'T YOU DARE MENTION THAT MAN!" he shouted out. The brunette violently flinched back, fearful of the display of anger. She had seen him scream a few times, including that time in the gym, but this was the only time that he had shouted with such venom in his voice. It was such a scary twist from his usual gentle character. She did expect some sort of reaction when she said 'Dad' aloud, but certainly not that violent.

"It's all his goddamn FAULT!"The blue-haired teen growled out, putting extra emphasis on the last word. Mallorie flinched again, hearing Kuroko swear for the first time. She shakily reached out to the blunette, wanting to comfort him. But she hesitated, and then pulled back. She decided to leave him be, for it was time for the other to let off some steam.

After all, Kuroko has been keeping his entire feelings inside for nearly six years now.

"HE was the reason why everything fell apart! I-If only… If only he didn't come up to our FUCKING door…" The blunette had already removed his hands from the keys. His arms were at his sides instead, both hands balled into a tight fist. Mallorie shut her eyes, expecting a more violent reaction than earlier. But intead, she was surprised when she heard a soft thud. She opened her eyes and froze at the sight in front of her.

Kuroko was slumped on the floor, his knees already giving out on him. His head still hung limply and his bangs still were still covering his eyes.

Mallorie swore she saw a single tear cascade down his cheeks at that moment.

It was gone as soon as she saw it, for he had covered his face with his hands, intent on hiding away any proof of his weakness. He was still shaking, but the brunette could tell that it wasn't from anger this time.

It was because of shame, helplessness, and guilt.

"None of that would have happened!" It hurt Mallorie to hear the other cry out with such a weak and frail tone. She dropped to her knees beside Kuroko and patted his back, finally giving him the comfort she needed. He leaned into her slightly, and she immediately embraced him. He still covered his face, afraid of showing his tears to anyone. Mallorie knew why, and tightened her hold on him.

The last time he had done so had ended up badly.

Kuroko's tears were starting to become uncontrollable, but he didn't utter a single cry. His weeping didn't consist of sobs and hiccups just like Mallorie earlier, just very few whimpers that you could hear now and then. Her face twisted in a grimace. It was even harder to listen to someone trying to hold back tears. She continued to stroke his back, trying to ease his shaking and the tense muscles that had been building up. Earlier, he had been yelling about how it was all their father's fault. But the brunette girl knew the truth.

"It's not your fault, Tsuya-chan."

She felt arms wrap around her and a head resting on her shoulder. This gesture made it more comfortable for both of them. Mallorie felt tears threatening to fall and held them back. While it could be argued that Kuroko only released his hands from his face because the brunette wouldn't be able to see it anyways, she knew that it wasn't the case.

That gesture meant that Kuroko had already forgiven her.

She held on to her brother tightly.

"Thank you…" This time, she did not hold back the tears anymore.

**-**O**-**

… In the end, Mallorie was bawling her eyes out again.

Seeing as Lunch break was almost over, they hurriedly went to the cafeteria ("I still haven't gotten a milkshake."). Mallorie, who eats as normally as any other person, had to quickly stuff her whole luch into her mouth quickly or they would have been late for class. Kuroko on the other hand, quietly sipped on his beloved milkshakes ("Are you sure that's all you need?" "I will be full by the time I finish this." "… A bird as ever, it seems…") , watching the other with an amused expression.

When they hurried back to their classroom, they almost gave Kagami a heart attack when Mallorie opened the door so suddenly at the same time he was supposed to do so.

"WE MADE IT!" Mallorie yelled as she slid the door open with such force that Kuroko almost had to cover his ears at the sound. A yelp was heard, and when the brunette looked up, she was met with the tall figure of one Kagami Taiga, who had stepped back in shock when the door opened. "Oh? Kagami-san?"

The redhead stayed still for a few seconds. Then- "What the hell?! You almost scared me SHITLESS dammit! AND WHERE THE FUCK IS KUROKO?!"

"Need I remind you of your language again, Kagami-kun?"

"WAAAHH! Kuroko you bastard! I said stop scaring me!" Kagami almost fell back due to surprise at Kuroko's sudden entrance.

"I did not scare you. I merely reminded you." The blue-haired teen said, monotone voice hiding the amusement that he felt. If he was normal, he would have dropped to the floor and rolled over in uncontrollable laughter. Mallorie's snickers in the background then turned into full-blown laughter. Kagami glared at the brunette for a while, and then turned to Kuroko. The taller male shot the shorter one a worried look. The blunette just smiled reassuringly and nodded his head a fraction. Kagami grinned.

_"Everything's alright."_

_"Good for you then."_

"Okay class, settle down now!" the teacher said upon arriving. Mallorie tried as much to stifle her laughter, only succeeding in toning it down to helpless giggles.

Once everyone was seated, Kagami turned back to look at Kuroko. It took only one look, but he was already satisfied with it.

Kuroko was smiling genuinely.

**-**O**-**

**Phew! That must've been the longest chapter I wrote... =v=**

**BTW, classes are starting soon, so please expect slower updates for the next chapter or for the chapter after the next. TwT**

**Anyways, i just wanted to thank everyone who's supporting this story. I really appreciate your kindnes and IT MAKES ME WANT TO GLOMP ALL YOU GUYS! QAQ Thank you so much!**

**And as usual, please don't forget to review~ :D**


	8. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Yo minna! Chisato here~ I'm really sorry for not updating for a LONG time and only posting an author's note once I did. QAQ

Anyways, I have some slightly bad news for everyone… I probably won't be able to update for another month or so. Okay, for those who tensed up and were about to cry when I said "bad news", don't worry. I am NOT ABANDONING this awesome story. I just need to take a break from this and focus on my KnB story 'Invisible' (by the way, for those who haven't read it, I suggest you do :D … Only if you can handle the feels tho :/ ) even more. It's hard working on two different fanfictions at the same time for a writer of my caliber. Besides, I might end up mixing both of my stories in the end (you know… same anime &amp; same concept about family problems).

Also, I want to focus more on my studies right now, because FIRST QUARTER EXAMS ARE COMING UP NEXT MONTH AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS TO DO I CAN'T EVEN-

Ignoring that mini rant up there^, let's just say that I need to stop feeling like a hammer has been hitting my head all day. I swear, I SERIOUSLY don't know how some people could update on a regular basis WHILE keeping up with their studies at the same time. To anyone in the world who can do this, kudos to you then J.

So to sum it all up, basically, MotP won't be updating for more or less another month. BUT! It will definitely be updated so please look forward to it~! :D


	9. Chapter 8

A week had passed ever since then.

Kuroko sighed as he stared at his homework through the lenses of his glasses, racking his brains for the correct answer he was supposed to write. He was seated on a chair facing his work desk; head aching the more he stared at the papers sprawled all over the wooden surface. With a slump, he decided he had no knowledge whatsoever to answer the essay needed only in a few days left. That in mind, the teal-haired teenager gathered the papers with a frustrated groan, putting them back in his bag and thinking he would just get some help from his upperclassmen instead.

'Or maybe even Mallorie' he thought, ignoring the slight jealous twinge he felt. Mallorie was very smart, as proven by the way she aced every single test they had for the past week, including PE.

Kuroko chuckled, pausing in the middle of putting back another piece of homework in his bag as he recalled Kagami's face every time he saw the brunette's grades. They were very amusing and hilarious to look at, as his expressions ranged from somewhere between shock and surprise at first before quickly changing to irritation and mortification. The red-haired had constantly grumbled about how it isn't fair all week, especially when he discovered that they had actually lived in the same state prior to moving here and 'the stupid blonde' still managed to get a way higher grade than his.

The blunette moved towards his bed, taking off his glasses in the process and laying it down on his bedside table. He slowly eased himself on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what would come tomorrow.

Over the past week, Kagami and Mallorie had managed to (sort of) agree on a civil relationship between them. It didn't stop them from occasionally arguing on things they disagreed in though, like the time when Mallorie wanted to stay over Kuroko's house for the weekend.

"_I'm already staying over at Kuroko's for the whole weekend!" Kagami argued. Mallorie simply crossed her arms and glared up at the red head._

"_And that makes you have the right to have Kuroko for yourself?" she asked._

_Kagami choked on the drink he was chugging down. "Don't phrase it that way!"_

_One of the brunette's eyebrows rose. "Why?"_

"_You make it sound like me and Kuroko are some kind of couple!"_

"_Kuroko and I."_

"_What?"_

"_It's 'Kuroko and I', not 'me and Kuroko'."_

"_Argh! As if I give a shit! Anyways, you are NOT allowed to stay over at Kuroko's."_

"_Why?!" Mallorie yelled, narrowing her silver eyes at Kagami._

"_Because I said so!"_

"_And what gives you the right to say so?!"_

"_I'm his partner! That gives me enough right!"_

"_It doesn't!"_

"_Yes it does!"_

"_IT DOESN'T!"_

"_YES. IT. DOES!"_

Kuroko silently snickered to himself. That was definitely a sight to see. Kagami and Mallorie had continued on with their shouting match in the middle of their classroom of all places. Though it was lunch break at that particular moment, a lot of people were still inside, giving the arguing duo looks ranging from curiosity to annoyance. It wasn't until Kuroko himself, who was sitting in a corner, interrupted the two by jabbing Kagami in the stomach. The tall red head had given the same reaction as usual, complete with the grab to his head that Kuroko didn't mind not dodging (not that he could really do so anyways, unlike a certain silver-eyed brunette). He had asked the blue-eyed teenager through gritted teeth why on earth he was the only one jabbed and Mallorie didn't even receive a single reprimand.

To Kagami's frustration, Kuroko had only answered "Because it's not right for a man to do that to a woman, Kagami-kun. You're already a meanie because of yelling at Strauss-san."

Kuroko's smile faltered. Even though Mallorie, who decided to ignore the use of her last name, had laughed at Kagami who was doing his best not to splutter, Kuroko was just glad they didn't understand the implication of his words.

The blunette sighed, rolling over to his side to look at the photograph on top of his bedside table. It was another picture of his mother, taken when he was six years old. She was seated at a park bench, smiling at the camera. Kuroko's eyes grew soft at the sight. It had been years ever since she had passed away, but he would always continue to miss her warm smiles and gentle caresses.

Eyelids already feeling heavy, Kuroko decided right then and there to close his eyes and fall asleep.

**-**O**-**

He was basked in the sun's rays, running across the field in elation as one of his hands brushed the lush and colorful foliage littered around the vast plain. His other hand held his hat in place, careful as to not let the wind carry away the precious piece of clothing covering his hair. His mother sat at the foot of a tree just a few meters away, blue eyes closely watching over him and expression fond as he continued to hyperactively jump around and play among the grass. Her short caramel locks swayed slightly in the wind as her fingers stroked the hardbound book in her hands.

He stopped his antics to look at her for a while. He smiled brightly and waved at her, happily returning to his playing around when she returned the gesture.

A few tumbles and rolls later, still with his hat intact much to his relief, he found himself facing a portion of the land covered in daisies. His blue eyes sparkled in delight as an idea worked its way into his head. Settling himself down on the grass, he immediately got to work.

After what seemed like an hour, he finally stepped back to admire his handiwork. His hands were slightly dirty and scratched up, but with an excited squeal he decided it was worth it, picking up his work of art and rushing back to his mother in order to present it.

"Mama!" he yelled, hiding both his hands within sight. His mother looked up from the book she was reading, eyes questioning and a bit surprised.

"What is it?" she said, setting the book down beside her after bookmarking the last page she was on. He grinned and showed her what he had hidden behind him.

"For you!" he proclaimed, proud and pleased with himself at the way his mother's face lit up. Before she could reach forward to accept it, he took a step forward gingerly and laid the flower crown on her head. With a small laugh, she touched one of the flowers woven into it. Her eyes softened and she suddenly brought him into her arms shortly after. His eyes widened in surprise. Then, he smiled and put his own small arms around her. His short limbs could barely even reach the middle of her back, but he could care less.

All that mattered was that he made his mother happy.

A few moments passed by before she released him. When she did, a wide smile was plastered on her face and her eyes were bright with gratitude.

"Thank you Tetsuya, it's beautiful."

However, he couldn't even say "You're welcome" before a strong breeze suddenly blew over the two.

Slightly panicked, he reached up to hold his hat in place. But before his tiny fingers could clasp the piece of clothing, the wind snatched it from his head, bringing it to places he could no longer reach and leaving his dark, raven hair exposed to the world.

It was like a switch was flipped.

Everything around them suddenly stopped. The wind stopped blowing completely. The long grass froze along with the clouds. The chirping of the birds and the howling of the wind fell silent.

Everything was still.

Horrified, he looked over to where the wind blew away his hat. Unfortunately, it was nowhere in sight. He spun around, hoping to at least see a glimpse of his missing article of clothing.

His efforts were in vain.

He was on the verge of a panic attack, he knew that. Because oh god his hair can be seen _his hair_ _**his hair**_ _**oh god**_ _**his mother can see his hair.**_

He turned around suddenly, angry at himself when he realized that he had almost forgotten about the fact that his mother was still in front of him. He opened his mouth, apology at the ready when he suddenly froze.

His mother had stopped smiling.

Her warm gaze was gone, replaced by a cold, harsh stare. Her smile was also nowhere to be seen, her lips tightening instead to a thin line. Her face was empty of any kind of expression except for disappointment _hatred disg__**ust**__**contempt.**_

His knees were trembling at this point, eyes wide in fright. He took a shaky step back, biting his lip out of fear. Despite him shaking all over, he did his best not to let out a single whimper.

After all, it was rule number two.

His mother then slowly stood up, eliciting a flinch from him. He was having a full-on panic attack already, and he covered his mouth in an attempt to silence his short gasps of breath. Tears were leaking out of his eyes and his knees were threatening to give out on him any second. It took all of his willpower not to look at his mother, knowing that his eyes would only make the situation also worse.

Also, it was rule number three.

He felt like he was suffocating, each breath shuddering as he desperately tried to even out his breathing. His eyesight blurred as his tears freely poured down his cheeks. His hands were pressing against his mouth and nose, making it even harder to breath. But no matter how much it caused him pain, he knew that it was necessary, because he had already broken rule number one.

Therefore he was adamant on not breaking any more rules.

Tears were pouring down his cheeks, obscuring his vision and rendering him unable to see that everything around them both had disappeared already. The trees were gone, the grasses and flowers were gone, the meadow and the distant hills were gone, and the sky was gone.

All that was left was a sea of grey.

Then suddenly, a sob escaped the child's lips.

His body went rigid and he took several steps back, horrified with himself beyond comparison.

He had just broken rule number two.

He could feel the temperature around them dropping a few degrees, making him shiver and resist the urge to look up to his mother's face. He kept his head bowed, forcing himself to stare at his shoes instead. He could feel the darkness looming over him, making him stumble back a couple of steps before his knees finally gave up and he fell. He hugged his knees and buried his head between them, knowing that whatever was coming for him was not good in any way possible.

He was not prepared enough though.

Pain exploded across the side of his face, toppling him over sideways and making him cry out involuntarily. A feminine hand then roughly grabbed the back of his head and fisted a lump of his black hair. He cried out, arms reaching up to try and pry off the hand that was hauling him up and forcing him back to his feet. Another hand slapped his arms away harshly, forcing him to accept the treatment instead. He screwed his eyes shut and curled his fists into a ball; not wanting to break anymore rules that he already has.

"_**Did you say something?"**_

The boy shivered in fear and shook his head frantically. His mother's voice was so cold and so detached, _different_ and so totally opposite from her usual gentle and soothing voice. The fingers digging harshly on his scalp only reminded him about it even more.

"_**No?"**_

Another shake of his head.

"_**You're absolutely sure?"**_

A nod.

Then suddenly, a laugh.

He almost snapped his eyes open due to shock, but thankfully he was able to keep it closed. The laugh was not light-hearted in any way; it even sounded more like someone screaming, with the way his mother cackled hysterically. Or it could also pass off as a pig who was squealing because it was being taken to the slaughter house.

The laugh, which already started out as loud, grew in volume. His mother's gentle voice, which he used to treasure so much, morphed into some deep, guttural, inhuman voice that sent chills down his spine.

Then, a scream.

It tore through the air like claws slashing through metal, screeching and creaking and tearing. His hands flew up to his ears, pressing down hard on them to block out the god-awful scream. But try as he might, it did nothing to help as the volume he heard did not lower a tad at all.

His heart was pounding against his ears, heartrate going faster than he would appreciate. His knees collapsed underneath him once more, and he curled into a ball again, afraid of all that was going on at the moment.

"_**How dare you?!"**_

The boy cried out; the pain he felt in his scalp increasing tenfold as his mother shook his head roughly. His hands reached up again to claw at the cruel hands that kept him in place. However, there was no hand that slapped away his own.

"_**I told you never to show me your despicable hair!"**_

Tears leaked out from the corner of his still tightly shut eyes, rendering him blind to see the now horribly disfigured face inches from his.

"_**Never show me your fucking hair you disgraceful brat! Got that?!"**_

He whimpered out a meek "Yes" before his head was shook harshly again.

"_**SPEAK LOUDER YOU LITTLE SHIT!" **_was all he heard before his head was abruptly let go and he was kicked away meters from where he previously was. His chest throbbed painfully from the impact and his breath wheezed out in choughs, ribs protesting every time he did so.

"_**Don't you fucking dare show me your goddamn hair again, you hear that?"**_

"Yes mother…" he managed say, wincing at the vicious throb that attacked his chest once more. "I understand."

"_**YOU FUCKING DON'T!"**_

The boy then cried out as pain suddenly exploded on his back, and as his mother kept on barraging him with a set of stomps and kicks, he curled onto himself, protecting his already bruised ribs from the onslaught of attacks.

"_**YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A FUCKING SINGLE THING!"**_

"I…"

"_**SHUT UP!"**_

Abruptly, the attacks stopped.

"_**SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"**_

The boy risked looking up.

He wished he hadn't.

Kuroko sat up in bed all of a sudden, eyes wide in fear and panic. His breath came out in ragged pants and his limbs were shaking. His heart was pumping wildly in his chest, almost as if it was trying to burst itself right out of its cage.

Kuroko put a hand over his chest, trying as much as he might to calm down his heartbeat.

Then his dream hit him like a truck.

Immediately, nausea made him head spin. He stumbled out of bed, blindly groping around for the bathroom. Once he was already inside, he dropped down on his knees unceremoniously in front of the toilet and vomited.

As Kuroko threw up everything he ate for dinner that day, he was attacked by an onslaught of memories long forgotten.

At least, or so he thought.

"_Tetsuya, dinner's ready!"_

"_Tsuya-chan, you should be more careful next time!"_

"_Hey Tetsuya, want to go home with me?"_

"_Tetsuya, mama will always love you, okay?"_

"_That's my boy!"_

Tears prickled his eyes, making them burn. Kuroko tried to hold them back, but the painful tightening in his chest made it hard to do so.

All the memories, all the hurt and despair, were coming back to him in waves; from his mother, to Mallorie, to Ogiwara…

… Up until his father.

Moments passed, and Kuroko had nothing left in his stomach to throw back up. He let out a shaky sob, wishing, hoping that for once—_for once in his life_—someone would be right beside him, rubbing his back and making comforting gestures while telling him that everything will be alright. Kuroko's hands shook as he tried to stand. However, due to his shaky limbs, he collapsed back on the floor. He pushed himself against the wall instead, opting to lead his head back on the cold tiles that made up his bathroom.

He glanced at his reflection on the tiles, sighing with relief as he saw his blue hair. Slowly, he felt the panic fade away, relaxing his muscles as it did. For a moment, Kuroko didn't move from his position, and in that moment, he only thought of one thing.

He hasn't moved on, has he?


End file.
